Steam boiler



J Nov. 1 6 1926.

J. T. CULLEN. JR

STEAM. BOILER Filed August 4. 1922 Patented Nov. 16, 1926.

UNITED STATES Jone-e. CUILLEN, an; or CLINTON, IOWA.

STEAM BoILnR.

Application filed August'i l, 1922'. Serial No. 579,723.

This invention relates to steam boilers of the type in which there are apluralityof water tubes arranged inparallelism between two headers with which said tubes arein communication and which are. connected above the tubes by a water drum. w 7

Objects of the invention are toprovide a boiler which may be constructedata minimum cost, which will afford a large storage space for steam, which willreduceprim ng or foamingiwithin the boiler to aminimum, in which the pickingup of water with the steam will be substantially prevented, and in which the circulation of water through the tubes is facilit ed, other objects are the provision of a boiler having a high degree of safety and which is so constructed as to dispense largely with brace members and other supports. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and appended claim.

The accompanying drawing represents an embodiment of the invention and shows in longitudinal sect-ion a steam drum, water tub-es, and the connecting headers in relation to a furnace.

Referring to the drawings in detail, 1 designates the front and rear walls of the furnace having a grate 2 at its front end. Positioned above the grate and resting upon the walls 1, is a boiler constructed according to the present invention. The boiler is provided with front and rear headers 3 and 4 which are so position-ed that the header 3 will be at a greater elevation than the header 4, in order to afiord an inclination of water tubes, 5, which may be of any suitable number and shape. and which communicate at their ends with the interior of the headers.

Above the water tubes, is a drum 6, which likewise communicates at its ends with the headers 3 and 4 and which comprises two substantially frusto-conical sections 7 and 8, joined together at their larger bases and having their smaller bases connected, respectively to the headers 8 and 4. The dnum is arranged with its lower side sloping in parallelism with the water tubes between headers 3 and 4, while the upper side of section 7 lies in a substantially horizontal plane and the upper side of section 8 is inclined abruptly downward from juncture of the two sections. A connection 9 having a steam outlet 10 is connected to the upper side of section 7, adjacent the juncture of the two The-water in the tubes?) circulatestoward i the front header 3 whence it passes withabsolutely ,no" constrictions. into the steam drum. It .willbe noted -thatthe steam drum 7 gradually increases in diameterrearwardly from the front end of the boiler to a point approximately f two-thirds of the distance from its forward end to the steam outlet,

and, since the bottom of the drum is parallel with the tubes, the water passes freely from the forward end to the rear end of the drum in the best condition to liberate steam. The area of the surface of the water in the drum is ample to permit the steam to be quietly liberated even when boiler is being forced beyond its rating. Dry steam is thus disengaged without entrained water. By reason of the large area of the surface of the water in the conical drum the liberated steam contains a minimum of moisture.

The large steam storage space afforded by the drum below the steam outlet is an import-ant feature in connection with the extreme fluctuation of pressure. These fluctuations in boilers now in common use are a source of violent foaming or priming when the flow of water is constricted bv small openings from header to drum and violent circulations are induced by excessive angle of tubes. The.drum 7, as it gradually increases in size from lts front end to a polnt approximately two-thirds of the distance between its front and rear ends, affords plenty of steam room close to the outlet. The steam is drawn from the front end of the boiler toward the steam outlet and, since water seeks its own level, the water in this boiler gives suflicient head to the tub-es and avoids danger lUU it has been attempted to attain the same results as are obtained by the conical drum of the present invention is dispensed with. In the boiler of the present invention the steam outlet is located right at the point where the storage space of the steam is the largest, and on account of the construction 01": the upper portion of the boiler itself and the abrupt inclination of the top of the rear portion of the drum froin'the steam outlet, the steam, in the operation of the boiler is always drawn with the flow of the water. Thus the picking up of water with the steam is avoided and the circulation of the water is speeded up, giving the boiler added eiiiciency.

It will also be noted that the rear header 4, is connected with the drum in such a manner that a steam trap will not be formed in the upper portion of said header and that the connection between the drum and the headers is such that there will be a free circulation of the liquid contained therein, because the liquid will fill the rear header substantially to its top, whereas the water level in the front header 3, and in the section 7 of the drum will be considerably below the top memes thereof, thus affording a space for the escape of steam from the liquid and its collection prior to being led oil through the steam outlet 10 in the connection 9.

WVhat is claimed as new is;

A steam boiler comprising a pair of headers, a plurality or" tubes connecting said headers, said tubes being inclined with respect to the water level within the boiler, a steam drum formed of a pair of trusto conical sections each having its smaller end secured to and communicating with one of said headers, said sections being secured to gether at their larger ends, the lower side of said drum lying below said water level and being inclined in the dir ction of the tubes, the conicity of that section of the drum which is adjacent the elevated ends of the tubes being such that the upper wall of said section does not incline below a horizontal plane, said drum having a steam outlet in its upper wall adjacent the large ends of said sections. o

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN T. CULLEN, JR. 

